Broken Bottles, Broken Hearts
by Vapid
Summary: A night out with the boys. Some cussing. Lots of drinking. And it's R/H!!!


A FEW NOTES: This is re-posted and re-edited (now in a sober state of mind).   
It takes place during the seventh year, making Harry and company age 17.   
Ron and Hermione are an offical couple, but still bicker like before. The   
exact ages of Bill and Charlie are unknown, but I'm assuming that Bill   
is 9-10 years older than Ron. This fic is inspired by the band Social   
Distortion and two bottles of Budweiser. Enjoy.  
  
  
"I really blew it this time..."  
  
Ron Weasley looked down at his bottle of Butterbeer Extra. He and his   
partners that night (his older brothers Bill and Charlie, and his   
longtime friend Harry Potter) moved on from the standard Butterbeer to   
something a little more... potent. The four of them got together at Three   
Broomsticks in Hogsmeade to have a "guys night out". "Guys night"   
activities apparently involved belching, getting quite inebriated, loud   
cussing, stupid jokes, and deep discussions of the greatest mystery of all   
time: women.   
  
"Ron, Ron, Ron, what did you do to Hermione now?" Charlie asked.  
  
"It's...it's stupid. I'm stupid," Ron sighed.  
  
"Yes, stupid stupid Ron!" Harry laughed. He was only on his second   
bottle, and he was already starting to slur his words. For all his   
talents as a wizard, he was a bit of a lightweight when it came to drinking.  
  
"Heh, haaa!! Ron! You jes can't seem to do things right wit her..." Bill   
slurred. Bill, who was 26 years old and also a great wizard in his own   
right...wasn't much better than Harry.  
  
"Shut up, you two!" Ron glared at his oldest brother and friend.  
  
"Okay, so Ron what exactly happened?" Charlie asked. Charlie was the   
notorious ladies man of the Weasley boys. Though currently single, he   
had much experience dealing with the opposite sex. In fact, even his   
elder brother Bill sought his advice from time to time.   
  
"We fought...we fought over what we were going to do tonight. She   
asked me what activities I wanted to do, and I just told her `Whatever you   
want to do is fine.' For some reason, she got mad and said `You always   
say that. You know, we don't have to always do what I want.' So I   
said, `No really, we'll do whatever makes you happy.' And she said `What   
about you, Ron. What about your happiness?' And I said, `It doesn't   
matter about what will make me happy, what will make -you- happy?' Then she   
gets real mad and says `So you're saying I don't make you happy.' And   
it just escalated from there...." Ron looked really depressed.  
  
"Well," said Charlie. "Well that doesn't sound too bad. It really   
doesn't sound any worse than any other time you two start bickering."  
  
"It gets worse," Ron sadly replied. "Well, I don't quite remember   
exactly what was said, but she said something about Krum..."  
  
"Uh oh," said Bill while popping the cap off another bottle.  
  
"...and I said...oh God, this was so stupid...I said...no I   
shouted...'Well, I know Fleur Delacour would make me happy!'" Ron winced while he   
briefly re-lived his stupidity.  
  
"Oh, man...." Harry said. Bill just shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"I know, I know! It's over....I don't think there's any way to   
salvage it..." Ron looked physically ill.  
  
"Well, that is pretty bad," Charlie said. "But I've actually seen   
worse. It's not over, Ron."  
  
"Yeah it is. I think I give up. I'm an idiot and she deserves better   
than me. Maybe I should just move on..."  
  
Charlie looked at his brother dead in the eye. "Listen. Hermione is   
a great girl. And all last year, before you had the sack to properly ask her out, you've   
done nothing but complain to me about how much this girl means to you and how remote   
your chances were with her. Well Ron, you finally got the girl. And when you two   
aren't arguing like a pair of dolts, I can tell that she makes you happier more than   
anything in the world. Look at me Ron. She is perfect for you and you damn well   
know it. If you decide to foolishly give up on her, I will take this bottle and bash   
it over your head until I beat some bloody sense into you."  
  
"Do it! Do it!!" Harry gleefully shouted.   
  
"Shut up before I knock you out!" Ron hissed.  
  
Suddenly, Harry grabbed the collar of Ron's shirt and made a fist with   
his free hand. "You don't have the g..gg..gg..gutssssss!!!!" In his butterbeer induced  
state, Harry had trouble saying the word "guts" which made Bill howl with laughter.   
Harry then slung his arm around Ron's shoulder and said, "Awww...you know I luv ya buddy!   
An Hermione luves ya too! Man I gotta pee!"  
  
Ron took Harry by the shoulders and walked him to the Men's room where   
he sort of threw him in. Ron walked back to the table and mumbled   
something about obnoxious drunks.  
  
Charlie looked at his brother. "You know, the drunk fool is right. You   
may not think it right now, but Hermione does love you back. It's just that the both   
of you can't seem to think before opening your mout - Bill?"  
  
Bill had passed out onto the table. Charlie tried to revive him by   
slapping him across the face. "Bill. Bill! Wake up!" *smack*smack*  
  
"Wh..wha?"  
  
"Do you need to go home? I can hail the Knight Bus for you."  
  
"No, no. You just continue your little conversation with Ronniekins.   
I'll be f...*yawn*...I'll be fine....." With that, Bill's head slumped   
onto the table again with a loud THUD.  
  
"Anyway, as I was saying, you've known Hermione for what, seven years?   
I mean, you should have a pretty good idea of what she's like. By now,   
you've noticed that she's a strong willed person. She also wants to   
take care of you. But by doing that, she subconsciously feels the need   
to control you. She's probably not doing it on purpose, but she cares   
so much for your well-being that it just seems to happen that way."  
  
Ron looked at Charlie with a bit of admiration. He was speechless.   
Charlie continued.  
  
"You are a hot tempered git. You need to work on that. You always   
feel the need to get the last word in, without regard. You can't walk   
away from a conversation without having the final say, no matter how   
nasty. I mean, look how you act around Malfoy. Well, that kinda transfers   
over to Hermione in an argument. The next time you get into an   
argument with Hermione, just shut up. I know it will probably kill you not to   
get that final nasty comment in, but do her and yourself a favor and   
keep quiet! And you know what? It might not hurt to just let her win   
the argument."  
  
Ron contemplated what Charlie said. He wasn't sure he agreed with all   
that he said, but it was still sound advice.  
  
"But then again, what do I know. I'm pretty drunk. Well, what do you   
have to say?"  
  
Ron thought for a while. "I....I think....I think I need another   
butterbeer."  
  
The night went on longer. Harry came back to the table with an a big   
bag of assorted sweets. Apparently, after his trip to the bathroom he   
felt the need to get some candy, so he ran down the street to   
Honeyduke's and purchased as many sweets as he could buy. As soon has he came   
back with his bag, he emptied out all of its contents onto the table,   
spilling some of them onto the floor (and all over Bill's sleeping head).   
"Help yourself!" Harry said and he ordered another beer.  
  
An hour and a couple of beers later, Charlie had even more advice for   
his brother. "See Ron, a woman is like a Chocolate Frog," Charlie said   
with his arm around Ron and holding the aforementioned sweet. "They're so   
sweeeeeeet....and...they...uh....they're wrapped in foil and have a wizard   
card inside them....."  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Herrrmionnne!! We...we was jes talkin' `bout you!!!" Charlie   
slurred.  
  
Ron turned around to see Hermione and Ginny standing behind him.   
  
"Ginny darling!! Come sit with us!!!" Harry said, mouth full of   
pumpkin pasties. Ron glared at him. With a puzzled look on her face, Ginny   
walked over to Harry and asked "Harry? Are you okay?"  
  
"Virgina dear, now that you're here I couldn't be better!" Harry said with   
a smile and put his arm around her shoulder and leaned into her. This earned him   
another dirty look from Ron, an amused look from Charlie, and a sleepy look from   
Bill who was just starting to wake up.   
  
Ron stood up. "Hermione, let's talk in private." He took her hand   
led her to a booth in the corner.   
  
"Have you been drinking?" Hermione asked.  
  
"What? No!" Ron replied, but Hermione took a good look at the guy's   
table with Bill fading in and out of consciousness, Harry stuffing his   
face with his purchased snacks (and Ginny looking at him with   
amusement) and Charlie singing the Hogwarts theme song to himself.  
  
"Well, okay yes, but I stopped a while ago. I assure you I have all   
my mental facilities intact."  
  
Hermione took a good look at Ron and decided that if he was drinking,   
at least he wasn't as drunk as the three goons at the other table.   
"Okay. Ron I-"  
  
"Hermione, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have said...what I said   
earlier. It was cruel and totally uncalled for. Please accept my apology.   
But if you don't and decide to move on....then...I'd understand...."  
  
"Ron, it was cruel, but it wasn't uncalled for. I....well....I acted   
like a bitch. I shouldn't have have gotten frustrated so easily. I   
know I tend to be a bit.... controlling at times. But I really love you   
and I just want to be happy. I'm sorry."   
  
Ron smiled. "Heh, and you complain about -my- language..."  
  
Hermione playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Oh shut up, you!"   
She then slid her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the   
lips. "So....what do you want to do tonight, Ron?"  
  
Ron slid his hands around her waist and said, "Well....I want to make   
up with you, and I'm pretty sure we did that. Then, I want to kiss you   
some more. And then, I would like to pass out in your arms in front of   
the fire. Is that okay with you?"  
  
Hermione smiled. "That sounds great! But first..."  
  
Ron looked at her. "First what?"  
  
Hermione had a mischievous grin. "First, I want a drink!"  
  
  
Author's notes: That's it. Thanks to everyone at fanfiction.net for the kind words, and special thanks to Zsenya for editing tips and catching my mistakes. 


End file.
